Viva seishun, mune wo hare!

Wednesday, 30 May 2014.
Another single review from this awesome quintet.
Is this even a surprise to you?

No, right? =)

Bring it on~!

By now, the forty-third single has been on the top of my playlist and gets rewound very often. Taking to a new Arashi song never really takes that long. If i don’t dig it on first listen, i’ll just have to loop it several times and voila! It’ll be even faster if the song is peppy like the title track or its third coupling track.

GUTS! opens with marching-bandesque kind of festivity, followed by soaring strings that usher us into the verse. The song is all about celebrating youth, moving forward, not giving up, holding onto hope, and chasing after the ultimate dream through the rain, wind, and storm. “Hito wa daremo yowai mono sa, naiterunda yo (People are all weak, everybody cries),” they assure.

It works wonder as Yowakate’s theme song, given that they’re the dark horses aiming after the seemingly unreachable goal. But they’ll win even if they’re weak, won’t they? Heartwarming lyrics, delightful melody, lively background music… what about great PV and matching choreo to round it out?

Granted, the PV is utterly enjoyable to watch from beginning to end. Our man-boys enjoy/being themselves is the most entertaining thing ever. No need to act cho-kakkoii or give us smoldering stares or pensive expressions. It’s their personalities and group dynamics that reeled fans in and that’s what we get here. The theme and treatment it gets readily remind us of past dorky PVs like Kitto daijoubu, We can make it!, Troublemaker, or even Wild at heart.

If anything, i expected the choreo to be more energetic with bigger movements. Or maybe they could freestyle during the last Nanananana~ so they have rooms to jump around. Like FUNKY, it’s such a zestful song and i don’t think the choreos do them justice. That said, the air baseball moves and simple steps somehow fit Nino really well, as if it’s choreographed specifically with him in mind. And the mark time during “yaritai you ni tsuki susume” — i’m not the only one finding it amusing, am i? :DD

(Viva youth! Be proud. We can always change With a “one, two, three”, look forward and go, blow common sense away Viva youth! Stand up. You’re not alone Celebrating our revolution with a parade of dreams and hope Steer our ship to joy

Viva youth! Burst into full bloom. Everything can be changed With a “one, two, three”, start to run, push your way forward how you want to Viva youth! Shout it out. Don’t give up yet Even the smallest of hopes will become a cheer for tomorrow Hold onto it tight in your heart)

Fly mirrors last single’s Sync (or last last’s Intergalactic though i eventually warmed up to it) which i can’t seem to like no matter how hard i try many times i spin it. It may be the robotic voice or the futuristic sound; others love it but it’s just not my cup of tea. RE’s two coupling songs are so concert-friendly that i’m picturing them sung in next live tour already: Love wonderland in the first half to pump the energy up and Kimi ga waraeru you ni in the second half/encore as one of the closing songs.

Kimi ga waraeru you ni is Arashi’s bittersweet parting song. Swingy but also wistful and dreamy. I love each solo part, they all sound heartfelt and totally in the moment. Once this low-key track ends, the mood picks up again as catchy guitar strumming invites us into Love wonderland. Another* fun, upbeat, party anthem to which you can’t not jump to your feet and dance to the beat. (*similar tracks are Welcome to our party and FUNKY.) Every part of it is just… great. Lo-lo-love wonderland is an exhilarating match to GUTS!’ oomph.